So long, Nebraska!

My bags are packed, and I'm leaving on a jet plane. Actually, I've already left and am whisking away layover hours by leaving this little note to you. It passes the time, and explains the silence you'll experience around here. 

Yes. I over pack when it comes to books.

Yes. I'm excited. Like a little kid at Christmas time. 

Yes. My flight is taking me south. Like Florida south.

Yes. I'm planning on soaking up the sun.

Yes. My friends in Florida are awesome. 

Yes. I may never come back. 

No. I'm not planning on getting sunburned - only gorgeously freckled. 

No... Can't think of anything else to say. My mind is to preoccupied dreaming of white sandy beaches, big huge boats, shining sun, lovely friends...

It's Hump Day people, smile big!  

Love Day

Happy Valentines Day to each and every one of you!

*insert happy emoticon heart*

I was reading Jen Hatmaker's post on V-day and it was this sentance that made me smile. 

speaking to singles 

"And hey, if you decide to go to a movie that starts in 17 minutes on a random Tuesday, YOU JUST CAN.  Revel in that please.  It takes an act of God to get out of my front door." - Jen Hatmaker

Today I'm single. No joke, right? I may not have tomorrow, but I have today.  Once un-single, you're never single again.  What a gift, what a treasure.  To spend my life, my time, my actions for others, for Jesus.

I will admit, for all my happy thoughts and acts of love, there is a space in my heart that is empty.  Everyone has the desire to love, and to be loved.  To deny this feeling is to pretend something doesn't exist.  But to dwell on this longing only brings lonliness and discontentment.  Why not keep it tucked away, safe for unveiling another day.  

I'm single today.  Tomorrow... who knows?!?  I've talked to countless married girls and read their articles and I find a common theme; they love marriage/relationship, but there is something special about being single.  The more I think about this, the more I believe it to be true.  Yes, relationships are wonderful, hard, enriching and consuming, and the statistics prove that most people end up this way. 

But I haven't.  Not yet.  And it's not guarenteed. Today I'm single.  I don't have tomorrow, I have today.

"Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."  Psalm 34:12, 14

Do good: That's my mission.

Why don't we channel our desires, loves and emotions into others.  Serving people with unmatched energy.  Spending so much time serving that we don't have time to wallow in our single pool of tears. 

Here are a couple ideas.  I have tried them out for you, and they are fabulous and fun!

Idea #1:

Look up your local volunteer fire department.  

Make dozens of cinnamon rolls. 

Deliver said cinnamon rolls to said fire department.

*check back for recipe and other instructions*

Idea #2:

Puruse Pinterest looking for cute breakfast treats

Get up earlier than your family (if possible)

Write sweet notes.

Cook delightful breakfast

Serve said food with a cheerful smile

Idea #3:

Buy flowers

Put flowers in a pretty vase with ribbon

Deliver said flowers to a special older lady bereft of a Valentine this season

Give a warm hug as an added bonus

Idea #4:

Make cinnamon rolls

Drive to your dad/brothers/pastors/friends work

Deliver said cinnamon rolls to happy said men/women

Forgot to take a picture of  ^ this one.

Idea #5:

Seek Jesus

Delight in the joy and peace only He can give

Thank God for the incredible life He has made possible for you

baby boy

If you could take pure perfection, tiny handsomeness, and an overload of love, and give it a body... It would be Caden. Caden James Beasley to be exact. 

This little dude is my Valentine, I mean nephew. I have yet to kiss those cheeks... But counting down the days. 

Are you seriously kidding me? #babyluvoverload

Here is my brother, Dan, and his perfect family. All together. 

Head over to Bethany's blog for more pictures. 

Congratulations, Dan and Bethany!

 

Valentines Day Preview

Valentines Day - #singlegirlprobs on overload.

The day where suddenly red and pink are a chosen and approved combo.
The day single people become very aware of their single state.
The day relationships are exalted, envied and enjoyed.

Some say it's an over-commercialized holiday that forces tangible gift-giving.  But really, who doesn't mind some extra chocolate, a dozen roses and a few diamonds thrown your way?  You won't hear me complain.

They say over 1 billion dollars worth of chocolate is purcha$ed over Valentines Day.  I'm not sure how much of that is given as gifts, or consumed for consolation.

-------

I've read articles for singles on Valentines Day.  Good ones and bad ones.  Most often they try to console the single girl and help her cope with the devastation of being alone.  Some focus on the love of God.  How we don't need a boyfriend because we have Jesus.  And He is better than all the best boys in the world.  True.  Very true, and I don't want to undermine that at all...  But somehow it isn't the same.

Honestly, a boyfriend holds your hand.  A boyfriend sends you sweet texts.  A boyfriend listens to your day and makes appropriate comments.  A boyfriend makes you laugh, tells you you're beautiful, gives you chocolate and diamonds and takes you out to dinner at a nice restaurant.  A boyfriend gives you a reason to look forward to Valentines Day.

A single girl is void of everything mentioned above.

Sitting alone in mismatching fuzzy socks, texting other single friends, watching chick-fliks, eating a gallon of ice cream, all the while filling a wastebasket with tissues, may be what some do on this alleged "singles awareness day" but not me.  Nope. I've got a better idea.

This is my idea - Stop thinking about me and my aloneness.

How does this play out?  I've got plans.  And they just might include flour, icing and some happy heart sprinkles. holding hands. and talking. and flowers.  and smiles. and laughing. and maybe not the diamonds... but I sure can't wait for V-day!

Stay tuned

and here's something just to make you laugh.

A Promised Post - and something new

Finally!  The post I promised to you several months ago.  Here it is - the first of many.... oh yes!  I was stuck in traffic and hit upon a crazy idea.  I'll call my new blog series #singlegirlprobs. {yes, it's a hashtag, but it makes me laugh.}  Get ready for candid, honest, deep, light, funny, serious and completely random musings of a single girl who has more than a handful of single girl problems, but instead of viewing them as a step backwards, I think of it more as the beginnings of "Cha-cha!".  

-------------

Post #1

Note: thank you so much to each of you who commented on my previous post. Scedule, routine, huh? I so appreciate hearing from you. and my apologies for the lateness of this post.

First things first: life really isn't about me, my dreams or my wants.  It's about Jesus.

Second thing to note: I'm a work in progress and don't have it all figured out. at all.  Please comment your thoughts whether in agreement or controversy.  I'm still in the middle of this.  My thoughts stem from my reality.

I lay in bed at night and wonder.  If you were to pop open my journal you would find the question - What to do? - written over and over.  Re-phrased in many different ways.  Sometimes there are tearstains that accompany my scribbles as I would pour out my heart to Jesus.

I have dreams.  Big dreams.  And I felt stuck.  Stuck because there are millions of ministries out there that are good and worthy of getting involved in - howintheworld do I choose?"  Stuck because I wanted to start my own ministry.  Drowning because I had so many dreams.  Overwhelmed because I felt nothing I did could ever make a difference in the world.  Stressed because I felt my days slipping away and I wasn't out there doing huge things.  Confused because I wanted God to write me a letter and leave it sitting on my shelf.

Than I read this;

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Chrsit Jesus." 1 Thess 5:16-18

And this;

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."  Matt 6:33 (NKJV)

Matthew 6:33 is written just after Jesus addresses the aspect of worry.  Worrying about life, clothes, money, food, etc.  Interesting.

Was it possible I was complicating the illustrious 'will of God?'  Viewing it as in end in itself.  Thinking that my dreams were the fullfilment of my life, the purpose of my existance?  I was focused on the end result and totally forgot about everything else in between.

Am I pursuing Jesus, or am I busy chasing dreams?  When I say pursuing I mean a daily relationship with God.  Seeking Him on my face, praying fervently, coming before Him with a grateful heart.  Practicing His presence throughout the day, striving to capture every thought, word and action in accordance with Himself.  Only then do I truly begin to live.

My life isn't going to be the same as Jackie Pullinger, Amy Carmichael, Katie Davis, my sister or any of my friends.  I may be single for the rest of my life, or be married within the year.  The dreams I wrote about last week might be reality in two years or may be changed to look totally different.

But life is made up of little moments.  It's tough to know what to do, but we don't have to know the end.  And we already know today - Today I must choose Jesus.  Today I must seek God.  He is faithful to guide - day by day, hour by hour.

"What is the secret to great living?  Entire separation to Christ and devotion to Him.  Thus speaks every man and woman whose life has made more than a passing flicker in the spiritual realm.  It is the life that has no time for trifling that counts."                           - Amy Carmichael

I'm in the middle of this.  Just like you.  Desparately asking God to reveal Himself to me.  To show my in practical ways how to "live a life worthy of the calling I've received."

"But not one of us is "called" to live the self-indulgent, pleasure-seeking, comfort-craving life of the tyrpical American Christian.  If you think that God has called you to merely live in a nice house with a well-paying job and be part of a Bible study group, then you aren't very familiar with what His Word says.  It not that any of [above stated activites] is wrong.  But those things are not the essence of the Christitan life."                 - Leslie Ludy

These are my thoughts.  I'd love to hear yours?  Stay tuned for specific ways they play out in my daily moments of happiness/heartache.

Have a lovely weekend!